Does my 12 week refresh ?

[Nifflerluck]

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone is keeping safe and doing well.

Apologies if this has been asked already.

I got told by my GP a few weeks back that fell within the shielding group (it was when I was having a flare up so she didnt call me specifically about shielding it was more of a by the way)

Anyway I never received a letter and just did what I needed to do and to be honest I kind of assumed with the criteria changing that maybe I didn't get a letter as no longer need to shield yet received a call from nurse at GP this evening saying she is going through a list and a letter has been posted out to me today and I'm on the shielding list and asking if I'm okay and if I'll need help with groceries ect and even though I have been shielding anyway it took me by surprise.

Does this mean my 12 weeks has to start from the start again ? (Think I have 5 weeks left on my original 12 weeks )

Thanks and apologies again if it's been asked before as I remember seeing something yet couldn't find it.

[Pebbles1012]

I think the 12 weeks for everyone is a minimum.

We must listen to the news - we will get instruction - the letter I think ( can’t recall the words exactly) indicates it’s at least 12 weeks

[Nifflerluck in reply to Pebbles1012]

Thank you.

[I8tories]

I'm in same situation, health wise. My GP phoned me late March, with instructions not to leave the boundaries of my property, for a minimum of 12 weeks . Luckily, have a reasonable size garden. Registered with Government 'high risk' website, and was added to list for priority food deliveries. Do not venture out in to public areas, includes pavement.

[Amyloulou]

I know how you feel I've been shielding, but didn't recieve a letter till yesterday which stated for me to stay in for 12 weeks from the date the letter was issued. I do believe that when we are allowed out these weeks wont matter. It all depends when the government sees it safe for us most vulnerable people to leave the house.

I'm so pleased that GPs are finally accepting their responsibilities to their patients. One of the nurses at mine swore blind that it wasn't the responsibility of the practice to issue letters. It was the government. Yet my letter is clearly from my GP. Sick of people not knowing how to do their job.

Anyway hope you stay safe and well😊. Sorry for my bit rant at the end. Xxx

[duran1duran]

I got a letter in the first two weeks from GP and then another from GP last week. The letter is the same, I have called and was told it was extending me to end July.

There was quite a long thread yesterday and there’s a real mix of views. I am going with what

My GP has told me to end July for the time being.

[Griffon]

Everyone needs to realise that Covid 19 is now endemic in the human population and is here for evermore . The present restrictions are only in place to slow down its spread , so no one can isolate for ever .

[Poobah]

Despite all the talk about relaxing the lock down restrictions I suspect that the initial 12 weeks may be extended. Without access to an antibody test or a vaccine the risks posed by Covid-19 haven't changed for the shielding group.

There's talk about creating social bubbles to enable people to circulate with a fixed group of people outside the household. And that social distancing will be reviewed. The pressure to get more people back to work is growing. The experts have said that there will be a second wave but with a track and trace app being tested on the Isle of Wight it looks as though control will be better as data will be available to target responses. If all this proves to be successful it may mean that the shielding group will be able to relax their restrictions.

[madonbrew]

That’s a question I was just wondering.I got my first shielding letter back in March so am at least in week 5 or 6 already...starting to get confused with weeks! 😂😂😂...I’m only 41!

...however today I received a letter from Southampton General Hospital to say I need to shield 12 weeks from now with takes us to end of July/Beginning Aug.

So I’m guessing that’s a new start date? It’s just I’ll need to let work know!

[Nifflerluck in reply to madonbrew]

I'm just waiting for my letter to arrive then will send it off to work and let them decide when I can come back in combination with government guidelines. I guess we will all know more after the announcement on Sunday on the way forward.

[Definitelynotjeff]

the 12 weeks thing seems to be irrelevant as everyone's getting their letters at different times.

regardless of when you got the letter, the guidance is to shield until the end of june.

gov.uk/government/publicati...

[Nifflerluck in reply to Definitelynotjeff]

Thank you for that, makes sense with letters going out at various speeds it's best to look on the website. Thanks for the link as well. At least end of June (at this stage) isnt too bad, just adds a couple of weeks on.

[Definitelynotjeff in reply to Nifflerluck]

If they extend shielding then i would have to reconsider going back to work. I am in the fortunate position of having a job where i can primarily work solo and work have been good so far but i don't want to push it.

[Nifflerluck in reply to Definitelynotjeff]

I've been really lucky as well with my work as I can work from home without issue and they wont actually allow any sheilded individual back in the office until government guidelines say we can.

[martin_1972]

yes the shielding letter states that you need to stay isolated for an initial 12 weeks but that will be reviewed

[PattyT22]

I get the impression that we will be shielding until there is a vaccine. However shielding is a choice but we are advised to do it for our own safety. Good luck everyone!

[Debbie86]

Hi I got my shielding letter late too ( 3 weeks after lockdown started ) and it said 12 weeks from the date on the letter. I spoke to my asthma nurse about this and she said that the 12 weeks will most likely be extended for everyone anyway so to just make sure I am keeping up to date with the news and to call them if coming to the end of my shielding period and I haven’t had an update.

[madonbrew]

I had an initial letter back in March,then received another from Southampton General Hosp the other day. I asked for clarification and they responded with’ at the moment shielding is until the end of June’ but could be extended, but no,it wasn’t a current extension yet.

Don’t know if that helps!